Process of producing letter-press printing plates or forms.



G. R. CORNWALL.

PROCESS OF PRODUGING LETTER PRESS PRINTING PLATES 0R FORMS. APPIQIOATION FILED JULY 21, 1906. RENEWED NOV. 3, 1912.

L1 Pat ented Aug. 11, 1914.

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WITNESSES G. R. CORNWALL.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING LETTER PRESS PRINTING PLATES 0B. FORMS. APPLIoATIo FILED JULY 21, 1906. RENEWED NOV. 8, 1912.

1 1M969, I PatentedAuglLwl,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES raarur FFIQE.

GEORGE R. CORNWALL, F RYE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN PLANOGBAPI-I COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF YRODUCING LETTER-PRESS PRINTING PLATES OR FORMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 111, 1914i.

Application filed July 21, i906, Serial No. 327,131. Renewed November 8, 1912. Serial No. 730,270.

whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to the production of printing plates or forms, and in many of its features more especially to a process for producing letter-press printing plates or forms. Y

Objects of the invention are to provide a novel process for. producing a plate or form of excellent quality in an expeditious, economical and simple manner, while at the same time allowing all desirable latitude for the making .of charges either by way of addition, subtraction, substitution, transpositio-n, or otherwise, asmay be necessary or desirable in order to bring the composed matter into the desired final state prior to objects of invention will in part be obvious from, and will in part more fully appear from, the description and claims.

The invention consists in the novel steps, processes, and improvements herein illustrated and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and forming a part of this specification, illustrate one manner of carrying out certain steps included within the invention.'

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents an impression-receiving surface bearing lines of characters representing a composition;

Fig. 2 represents the impression of the lines.

of characters from the impression-receiving surface to the surface of line bars carried in a form; Fig. 3 represents inking the line bars; Fig. at represents the taking of a proof impression; Fig. 5 represents the proof sheet; Fig. 6 represents the inking up of the corrected form of line bars; Fig. 7 represents taking an impression from the corrected form of barsupon an impression-receiving surface; Fig. 8 representsthe transfer of the composed matter from the impresslonreceiving surface to the surface of a sensitized plate; and Fig.9 represents the completed plate. v

The process included in the present invention contemplates the production of a letterpress -printing plate, which may be 'planographic or otherwise, by the use of line bars having sensitized surfaces, but which are not necessarily of a light-transmitting material; the process contemplates further the giving of every facility for the correction of proof and the making of any changes necessary or desirable in order to bring the composed matter into the desired final state or condition, whether such changes are by way of additions to, or subtractions from, the said linebars, substitutions of one bar for another, transpositions of the line bars, or otherwise; the invention, in some of its features, further contemplates utilizing matter which has been composed in various ways, such as a line at a time, or letter by letter, or placed primarily upon the line bars.

The invention includes also other features than thosespecifically set forth above.

In the manner of carrying out certain steps of the process, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the impression-receiving surface upon which are shown in series lines of characters, indicated by. the reference numeral 2, constituting a composition. The said lines of characters may, if desired, be justified, and ordinarily will be so justified. The impression-receiving surfacel, according to certain features of the invention, will be of a material that transmits light withv more or less readiness,

and for this purpose it will generally be found convenient to use a paper which is highly translucent. It will be understood, however, that various other materials will befound suitable for the impression-receiving surface so far as regards many features of the invention. With a paper of the kind described the characters of the composition are placed thereon in a substantially opaque medium. Itwill be understood, therefore,

that when a sensitized surface is exposed to the action of light through the impressionreceiving medium, the characters and the surrounding surface will have an opposite effect upon the sensitive surface, the action of the light thus serving to define the characters and the surrounding surface upon the said sensitive surface.

j In Fig. 2 of the drawings is shown a series of line bars 3, which for convenience, have been assembled into a form, and upon which the lines of characters from the impression-receiving surface are being impressed by the action of light. In the present instance the light used in so impressing fastening devices, such as clamps 7 may be utilized, if desired, to hold the said parts in fixed and convenient position with reference to each other. A suitable source of light is indicated by the reference numeral 8.

Suitable means may be used in connection with the carrying out of this invention for properly positioning the lines of characters upon the surface of the line bars. A form of means for effecting this is shown here with as comprising means upon the impres-.

sion-receiving sheet in definite relation to the lines of characters and means upon the line bars of the chase in definite relation to the'line bars. The particular form of such means shown in the illustrated embodiment comprises registering holes 9 on the sheet and correspondingpins 10 upon the bars. .Fur thermore, the chase is shown as provided with suitable devices for positioning the bars in definite relation with respect to each other and also in definite relationwith the registering means carried by the chase. The form of said means herein shown comprises beveled ends 11 upon the bars fitting into corresponding beveled faces upon the chase.

Various kinds of line bars may be found convenient or desirable for use, such as metal line bars, or those of various other materials. The surface of the bars may be sensitized in various ways. If desired, the said bars may be sensitized by means of a coating of sensitive asphalt, which may be merelypoured over their surface in a-suit-;

able manner. It wilhfrequently-be found convenient to use as a sensitizer for the surface of the bars a chromated colloid, such as chromated albumen or gelatin, sensitizers of this kind being well known in the photomeohanical art. One way of preparing such a sensitizer is by dissolving in suitable proportion ammonium bichromate, and by dissolving commercial albumen in suitable proportions in another solution. The said solutions may then be thoroughly mixed, a little ammonium being added thereto, and after filtering, the solution may be poured upon the surface of the bars and allowed to dry thereon in a thin la er or coating. After being exposed to the ight' the line bars may be suitably developed ina manner dependent upon the kind of sensitizer that has been used. Where the sensitizer is asphaltum the developer used may be turpentine; where the sensitizer used is the chromated albumen the developer may be simply water. The particular process of the development in each case is known to the art and, simply as such, is not a part ofthe present invention. The result in either case is to give the characters and the surrounding surface different properties with respect to taking or rejecting ink. In the present instance, where opaque characters are placed upon a translucent impression-receiving medium and following the steps of the process, as herein generally set forth, the character will be ink rejecting in its properties and the surrounding surface ink receiving. The line bars may then be inked in any suitable manner,

the step of inking being shown in a general way in Fig. 3 of the drawings, as being performed by a hand roller. This figure shows the characters as being ink rejecting and the remainder of the surface of the bars as ink taking. The leads 5, when used, may also be of such nature as to take ink readily, if desired, and are so shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

As in most letter-press matter the making of such changes of various kinds as are necessary tobring the matter into the desired final state or. form are of great importance,

the invention in certain of its aspects contemplates providing means for effecting this. The said features of the invention contemplate the taking. of a proof impression to assist in making the changes which are necessary or desirable, as aforesaid, in bringing the matter into the desired final condition. Accordingly, in Fig. 4 of the drawings, is shown a proof impression-being taken from the form ofbars 3 upon a suitable sheet 12.

The impression in this. particular instance, is shown as being made by a hand roller 13, although any suitable means, such as a proof press, may be'employed, if desired. A proof from the line bars of the kind described, will -give a white letter upon a black ground. If a proof having black letters upon a white ground is desired, photographic proofs maybe taken from a sheet which. has been printed or impressed from the line bars, or such impressed sheet may be used as a negative to secure a sensitized plate from which any desired number of impressions may be taken having the black letter upon the white ground. For most uses of proof reading, however, it will be found that there is no well-founded objection to the proof as taken from the line bars with the white letter uponthe black ground. If the composition is placed upon the original impression-reeeivmg' surface by certain composing agencies own to the art it will be found that wrong font letters and broken letters and many other sources of error com line bars so as-to bring the composition into paratively difficult to detect are entirely eliminated, as it is practically impossible for them to occur with certain classes of composing devices.

The general principles of changing the the desired final condition are generally the same and, for the purpose of illustration, the change to be made is shown in the drawings as involving the correction of a typographical error, occurring in the first line and indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and also in Fig. 5 by the reference numeral 14. A proof readers mark 15, indicating the correction, is shown in the margin, in Fig. 5 of the drawings, upon the proof sheet 12.

In, Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown the form of line bars with a corrected line bar substituted for the incorrect one, previously indicated, and so farras the present instance is concerned the matter being then in the desired final state or condition. The correct matter upon the new line bar is indicated by the reference numeral 16. After the matter is in the desired final form or condition the line bars may be again inked and this is shown in a general way in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the inking being done by means of ahand roller 17. An imface may also be of a paper which is translucent or light transmitting or transparent.

In F1g.'7 of the drawings such an impression-receiving material or surface 1s indicated by the reference numeral 18, the

pressure between the said material and the surface of the bars being supplied in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by the hand roller 19. A printing plate of suitable material is selected and where the final form or plate is to be planographic such plate way be of aluminum or zinc. As the process, however, may be ext-ended to securing a relief plate by etching, or otherwise, plates of other material, such as copper, may be used, if desired. It may be considered that the plate is one for planographic printing, in which case it will probably be of zinc or aluminum. After being suitably prepared, as by graining, or otherwise, the surface of the plate maybe sensitized. The sensitizing may be done in different ways, as for instance,by one of the processes herein described in connection with the surface of the lifie bars. The composed matter may be transferred from the impression-receiving surface to the surface of the plate by the action of light. This may be done by the act-ion of light trans mitted through the impression-receiving material or surface 18, if desired, or by refiected light with the camera or otherwisea In the manner of carrying out the steps of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the action is shown as occurring through the agency of transmitted light.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings a suitable plate 20 is shown having the impression-receiving material 18 in contact therewith, a suitable light-transmitting plate 21 being placed over the plate 20 and surface 18 to hold them in position, a support 22 being also provided for the plate 20. There is shown in the drawings clamping devices 23 for holding them together, and a source of light is indicated generally by the reference numeral 24. After being impressed with the characters of the composed matter the plate may be suitably developed in various ways. With the asphaltum, as hereinbefore noted,- turpentine may be used as a developed; while with the albumen water may be used. It will be understood that with the particular manner of carryingout the invention described and illustrated the impression-receiving surface 18 will show a white letter upon a black background and the plate 20 will consequently show a black letter upon a white blackground, that is a background which will print white or clear. The surface of the plate may then be. prepared for print-ing by rolling up and gumming if the plate is to be used planographically. If a relief plate is desired, however, an acid resist may be applied to the surface of the plate and the plate may be etched into relief in a manner well known to the art.

While the invention has been described in connection with line bar units, it is applicable, and is also believed to be novel, with respect to composing units broadly, and in certain of its aspects the invention will be understood as not being limited to line bar units.

From all the' foregoing it will be understood that a process has been disclosed in a manner sufficiently clear to enable those skilled in the art to practise same, said process realizing the. objects of invention and the advantages herein set forth, together with other objects and advantages. It will be further understood that the process is not limited to the particular manner of carrying out the steps thereof illustrated and described herein. as changes may be made in many ways without altering the scope of imposing upon the surface of the said line units the lines of characters from the impression-receiving surface by the action. of light, so that a line of characters will be impressed upon each of the said lineunits, developing the surfaces of the said line units, making such changes in the said line units as may be necessary or desirable to I bring the composed matter to the desired final state,.inking the Surfaces of the line units, taking an impression therefrom upon an impression-receiving surface, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, transferring the composed matter from the said impression-receiving surface to the surface of the said plate by the action of light, and pree-vparing the said plate for printing.

2. The process'of producing a letter-press printing plate or form which comprises placing upon an impression-receiving surface lines of characmrs representing a composition, assembling into a form a series ofline bars or units having light-sensitive surfaces,

imposing upon the surfaces of the said lineunits the lines of characters from the impression-receiving surface by, the action of light, so that a line of characters will be impressed upon each of the said line units,

developing the surfaces of the said line units,

inking the surfaces of the line units, taking an impression from the said line bars for use in determining What changes are necessary'or desirable in order to bring the composed matter into the desired final state,

making such changes by way of additions, subtractions, substitutions, transpositlons, or otherwise, in the said l1ne unlts as may i be necessary or desirable to bring the composed matter to 'the desired final state, inking the surfaces of the line units, taking an impression therefrom upon an impression receiving surface, sensitizing the surface 01 a printing plate, transferring the composed matter from the said impression-receiving surface to the surface of the said plate by the action of light, and preparing the said plate for printing.

3. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate or form which comprises placing upon, a light-transmitting impressionreceiving surface lines of characters representing a compositlon so that the characters and the surrounding surface will possess or desirable in order to bring thecomposed matter into the desired final state, taking an impression from the said line units upon a light-transmitting, impression-receiving surface in such manner that the characters and the surrounding surface of the-impression receiving material .Will possess opposite properties with respect to the transmission of light, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, subjecting the sensitized surface of the said plate to the action of light through the impressed sheet of impression-receiving material, and preparing the surface of the said plate for printing. 4

4, The process of producing a letter-press printing plate or form which comprises placing upon a light-transmitting impressionreceiving surface lines of characters representing a composition so that the characters and the surrounding surface will possess opposite properties with respect to the trans mission of light, sensitizing the surface of certain line units, assembling the said line units into a form, exposing the sensitized surface of the said line units to the action of light through the sheet of impressionreceiving material so that a line of characters will be impressed upon each of the said line units, developing the surface of the said line units, inking the surface of the said line units, taking a proof impression therefrom for use in determining What changes are necessary or desirable in order to bring the composed matter into the desired final state, making such changes by way of additions, subtractions, substitutions, transpositions, or

otherwise, as may be necessary or desirable in order to bring the composed matter into the desired final state, inking the said line units, taking an impression from the said line units upon a light-transmitting, impression-receiving surface in such manner that the character and the surrounding surface ,of the impression-receiving material Will possess opposite properties with respect to the transmission of light, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, sub1ect1ng the sensitized surface of the said plate'to the action of light through the impressed sheet of impression-receiving material, and preparing the surface of the said plate for printing.

5. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate or form Which comprises impressing upon a light-transmitting sheet lines of characters in an opaque medium, assembling into a form a series of line units having light-sensitive surfaces, exposing the sensitivesurfaces of the line units to the action of' light through the sald impressed sheet, so that a line of characters will be carried upon each of the said line units,

developing the surfaces of the said lightsensitive units so that the surface of the said line units,.will carrythe, line of, characters thereon, making such changes in the.

said line units by Way of additions, subtra'ctions, substitutions, transpositions, or otherwise, as may be necessary or desirable to bring the composed matter into the desired final state, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, tranferring the lines of characters from the said line units to the surface of the said plate, developing the surface of the said plate, and preparing the plate for printing.

6. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate which comprises placing upon an impression-receiving surface lines of characters representing a composition, assembling into a form a series of line bars or units having light-sensitive surfaces, imposing upon the surfaces of the said line units the lines of characters from the impression-receiving surface by the action of light, so' that a line of characters will be impressed upon each of the said line units, developing the surface of the said line units, making such. changes in the said line units as may be necessary or. desirable to bring the composed matter into the desired final state or condition, inking the surface of the line units, and transferring the composed matter from the said line units to a printing plate, and preparing the said plate for printing.

7. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate which comprises placing upon,

an lmpression-receiving surface lines of characters representing a composition, assembling into a form a. series of hue bars or units having light-sensitive surfaces, imposing upon the surfaces of the said line units the lines of characters from the impressionreceiving surface by the action of'light, so that a line of characters will be impressed upon each. of the said line units, developing the surface of the said line units, making such changes in the said line units as may be necessary or desirable to bring the composed matter into the desired final state or condition, inking the, surface of the line units, sensitizing the surface of'a printing plate, transferring the composed matter from the said line units to the surface of the said plate, and preparing the said plate for printing.

8. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate or form which comprises placing lines of characters representing a composition upon the line bars assembled into a form, making any changes necessary or desirable to bring the composed matter to the desired final state or condition, inking the surface of the said line units, taking an impression therefrom upon an impression-receiving surface, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, transferring the composed matter from the said impressionreceiving surface to the surface of the said plate by the action of light, and preparing the said plate for printing.

9. The process of producing a letter-press printing plate or form which comprises placing upon a light-transmitting impression-receiving surface lines of character in an opaque medium, said lines.of characters representing a composition, assembling into a form a series of line bars or units having light-sensitive surfaces, imposing upon the surfaces of the said line units the lines of characters from the impression-receiving surface by the action of light, so that a line of characters will be impressed upon each of the said line units, developing the surfaces of the saidline units so that the characters will be ink rejecting and the surrounding surface ink taking, inking the surfaces of the line units, taking an impression therefrom upon a light-transmitting, impression-receiving surface, sensitizing the surface of a printing plate, transferring the composed matter from the said impressionreceiving surface to the surface of the said plate by the action of light, and preparing the said plate for printing.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of I two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE R. COR-NVALL.

Titnesses JOHN D. MORGAN,

CLARA PHILLIPS. 

